Preparing for Surgery: Inflammatory Bowel Disease Washington DC

Having surgery for any reason often produces a lot of anxiety and is otherwise upsetting for a lot of folks.  Knowing a few basic facts about what will happen during surgery and recovery can help to ease fears and make things go much more smoothly.  This short article is intended for individuals who are getting ready to undergo a colectomy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease Washington DC.

Before Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease DC

• Make sure to understand why your doctor thinks surgery is the best option for your inflammatory bowel disease Washington DC.  While it is very likely that a competent gastroenterologist has exhausted all of the less invasive IBD treatment DC options before referring you to a surgeon, you should understand whether or not there are other choices available to you.
• Give your surgeon a list of all the medications, supplements and herbal preparations you take before your operation.  Some medications might need to be discontinued for a few days if they have a side effect of thinning the blood.  More often, you will be advised to take medications normally, but to take them with only a sip of water on the morning of your surgery.
• The anesthesia provider should be informed of any important health conditions you have, like asthma or heart disease, in addition to any medications you are taking or any street drugs you use.  While you may hold back some of this information in many areas of your life, it is important to be completely honest with the anesthesiologist.
• Everyone knows it is incredibly difficult to quit smoking.  However, if you can quit smoking before your surgery, it will significantly reduce the risk of respiratory problems while you are under anesthesia.  Again, though, if you have not quit smoking, make sure to tell the anesthesia provider.
• Most people remain in the hospital around three or four days after their colectomy.  It is important for you to be able to eat normal food and have a bowel movement before you go home.  Plan for any help you may need with driving or other personal or household tasks before your surgery takes place so that you don't have any complications during your inflammatory bowel disease treatment DC recovery.

Autoimmune Disorders: IBD Treatment DC

In the last few years, it seems there has been more and more information in the media about autoimmune disorders.  These are diseases in which the body's own immune system seems to get out of balance and begin attacking its own perfectly healthy tissue.  Some autoimmune disorders include multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).  Those who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease Washington DC are likely to have a constellation of "stomach problems" that might include excessive gas, abdominal bloating, diarrhea, and vomiting, among others.

IBD Treatment:  Categories of Disease

It is difficult to initiate IBD treatment DC without a more specific diagnosis.  IBD is not just one disease, but a group of related disorders that impact the digestive system.  What they have in common is that they are caused by the immune system attacking various organs of the digestive system even though these organs are often completely functional and healthy.  The two major types of inflammatory bowel disease are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.  They are differentiated by the location of the pathological immune response in the body.  Ulcerative colitis impacts only the large intestine.  Crohn's disease can occur in any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the anus.  The most common site for ulcerative colitis to strike is the small intestine.

These two forms of IBD also have a few things in common.  Both of them usually have a course of greater and lesser intensity, and even periods of what seem to be complete remission or recovery, over several years.  Like other autoimmune disorders, the specific digestive symptoms are often accompanied by a low-grade fever, fatigue, and/or a general lack of energy and malaise.  IBD treatments DC also depend on identifying the specific group of symptoms that are present for each individual patient, and, if possible, triggers for bouts of active disease.  "Triggers" often include the following:

• Tension and stress, especially over a prolonged period of time.
• Certain foods, particularly those that are very spicy or containing a lot of fiber.
• Insomnia or inadequate opportunities to sleep and rest.
• IBD can be a secondary diagnosis to another autoimmune or other illness.

Types of Bariatric Surgery DC

Bariatric Surgery DC has become a very popular choice for individuals who have a lot of weight to lose in order to decrease their risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease.  A lot of folks are surprised to learn that there are actually a number of types of bariatric surgery Washington DC.  With these surgical options having been developed mostly over the past fifty years, bariatric surgery is often equated simply with "stomach stapling" which was, literally, the very first surgery of this type to become widely available.

Varieties of Bariatric Surgery DC

Today, weight loss surgery Washington DC patients have some choices.  Different surgical procedures are available and are recommended for different types of patients based on their unique case information and their preferences.

These are the most common types of surgeries for weight loss:

• Adjustable gastric band surgery has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for patients whose BMI exceeds 30, and who have at least one related, chronic health condition.  This surgery is often done laparoscopically, meaning that several small incisions are made in the patient's abdomen, while the surgeon visualizes the abdominal cavity using very small, sophisticated cameras.  An adjustable and removable band is placed around the top part of the stomach to reduce its capacity.

• The gastric sleeve procedure physically removes a large portion of the stomach and then closes it so that its capacity is greatly reduced.  It is not a reversible procedure.  With the smaller capacity of the stomach, the patient will feel full after eating only a small amount of food.  There is also some evidence that, eventually, some patients who have had this surgery will experience a change in their overall metabolism.

• One of the most extensive of these surgeries is the Roux-en-Y bypass, which not only greatly reduces stomach capacity, but also bypasses a section of the small intestine and then attaches the stomach pouch directly to a lower portion of the small bowel.  Food is still digested normally, but less calories are absorbed because of the bypass procedure.  This operation can sometimes be reversed.  While the stomach capacity is reduced, none of the stomach is actually removed.

For more information, visit http://www.medstarwashington.org to find medical professionals that can further educate you on these types of surgeries.